


imperial matters and a new objective

by Musta_aurinko



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, M/M, Set during the timeskip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-22 04:09:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20867954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musta_aurinko/pseuds/Musta_aurinko
Summary: Even after everything Hakuryuu had sacrificed, he couldn't prevent his country from falling under Sinbad's influence.Three scenes that took place during the timeskip.





	imperial matters and a new objective

_I am the one who won! I am the emperor! Who lives and who dies depends on me!_

Those were the words with which Hakuryuu headed towards his rule over the empire a year ago. Aggressive out of vengefulness, sorrowful over the losses he had suffered. Relying on Sinbad’s help had been a necessity after he no longer had Judar’s support, but the cost was high. He was so focused on taking over the empire that before he had even noticed it himself, he had sold his country to Sinbad and the Seven Seas Alliance.

In this new world of Sinbad, trade ruled the world and the traditional values of the empire built by his father and brothers meant little. Under international and domestic pressure Kou had started to crumble piece by piece, the recently conquered regions demanding independence. Kou’s economy, previously based on slavery, military and self-reliance, couldn’t hold up to the expectations of the changing world.

Hakuryuu tried his best. He did everything he could, every change for the better that was in his power. Still, it felt like nothing was enough to prevent Kou from succumbing under Sinbad’s control entirely. _You can have Kou – for now_ was the implication in Sinbad’s words as he pretended to be Hakuryuu’s friend while taking over the world with his company, alliances, and economic pressuring.

Hakuryuu had sacrificed much for this. Many people had died so that Hakuryuu could achieve his goals. He exiled his cousins, he killed Gyokuen, he killed Alibaba... And Judar, too, had died for his unwavering loyalty to Hakuryuu. Hakuryuu looked at the impressive grave he had built for Judar before turning his gaze back to the ground. Judar’s gravesite had become Hakuryuu’s personal thinking place where he could mull over his thoughts and worries in peace, silence, and solitude. They were mostly depressing thoughts and he knew Judar wouldn’t like his grave being used for this, but Hakuryuu couldn’t help it. Had Judar been there, he would have encouraged him to become the greatest king vessel he himself believed Hakuryuu to be. Hakuryuu really tried to channel some of that enthusiasm whenever the burden became too heavy.

“Is Gyokuen really dead?” Kouen had asked. Although Hakuryuu had been confident of his victory and too focused on fighting his cousins to really think about it, from the moment Kouen had brought up the possibility that Gyokuen somehow survived, the thought hadn’t left Hakuryuu’s mind. The ambitions that had been so clear in those months when revenge and depravity clouded his mind had formed into insecurity and an overwhelming feeling of having lost too much for too little.

********* 

“Kougyoku?”

The eighth princess of Kou turned around to see Hakuryuu approach her. “Your Majesty”, she addressed him and bowed her head.

The current relationship between the cousins was... a bit strained. A year ago, the two had fought on the opposite sides of a battlefield, Hakuryuu fully prepared to kill her if it came down to it. However, much had changed since then and – most importantly to Kougyoku – she had found out that Sinbad had been using her body to spy on her beloved Kou Empire. Kougyoku’s heart was filled with feelings of bitterness and betrayal. Now she witnessed Hakuryuu’s struggle to keep Kou Empire afloat and felt sympathy.

“I would like to talk with you, in private”, Hakuryuu said and beckoned her to follow him. The expression on his face was stern.

In a room stripped of magic tools and prying ears Hakuryuu told her: “We are going to leave. Me, Aladdin, and Morgiana.”

“What? What do you mean leave?”

“This is about Sinbad.”

And now Hakuryuu had Kougyoku’s full attention.

“Sinbad has been trying to get in contact with Aladdin, without a doubt trying to make him his magi. It is possible that this causes a rift between them, depending on how that conversation will go.”

_Aladdin..._ Even after what Hakuryuu did to Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana had stayed close to him. In order to watch over him, to make sure things never escalate to the level they did with Kou’s Civil War. Still, over the course of the past year Kougyoku has gotten the opportunity to get to know them better as well. To the point she would even call them her friends.

“You know we can’t just sit idle and witness Sinbad take over the world. If Aladdin’s power was abused, there’s nothing we could do to protect Kou. Even if it cost our lives, we must plan and take action”, Hakuryuu said.

“I know and I agree with you.”

“King Takeruhiko Yamato of Kina isn’t fond of Sinbad either, even though their country is a member of the Seven Seas Alliance. Sinbad’s order to confiscate everyone’s metal vessels was the last straw... I was planning on taking Zagan with me.” Kougyoku couldn’t understand where Hakuryuu was going with this or what he was thinking.

“That would make you a criminal in the eyes of the International Alliance”, Kougyoku said with worry.

“Yes, it would.” Hakuryuu’s eyes were downcast as he sighed silently. “These wars for independence within Kou all sprang up around the same time, to the point it seems artificial. My position has been compromised already. It’s better if I just step down as the emperor. We’ll leave with the Kinans to the Dark Continent, where Sinbad can’t track us down.”

But that would mean...? Kougyoku stared wide-eyed at Hakuryuu in silence anticipation of what he was about to say next.

“I’m sorry, Kougyoku, but I have a favour to ask from you. With me gone”, Hakuryuu fixed his gaze on Kougyoku’s, “won’t you become the emperor of Kou?”

“Me? But I’m-- I am the eighth princess, the last in the line of... I am not worthy of that, I am not skilled enough to--” she was sounding a bit panicked.

“Kougyoku”, Hakuryuu interrupted her calmly, “your brothers are in exile, and Sinbad won’t let them return. Your sisters are married off to other countries. Hakuei is... she is working as a consultant for Sinbad now. You are the only one who can do this.”

Kougyoku took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

“I am so sorry for pushing the mess I made for myself onto you,” and he really did sound apologetic. Apologetic and sad and tired, “but in Kou, under Sinbad’s watchful eye, there is nothing I can do.”

Kougyoku thought about it for a moment. Never was the eighth princess prepared for a ruling role. The only respect she has in court comes from the fact that she has a metal vessel. Vinea made it possible for her to become a general, to be of use for her country. And that metal vessel was now taken by Sinbad.

With determination, she said: ”I’ll do it. I’ll do everything I can to get Kou back on its feet”, and then, with a small smile, “please, all three of you. Be careful.”

********* 

About a year ago Hakuryuu, Morgiana, Aladdin, and the island of Kina arrived on the other side of the Great Rift. The Dark Continent proved to be a peculiar place, full of strange plants and creatures. Stranger yet, according to Aladdin, rukh deep in the Dark Continent was all black.

Morgiana knew that the fanalis lived on the Dark Continent, but nothing could prepare her for the joy she felt when they actually encountered some Red Lions. They accepted her as one of them immediately and treated her like family. When she told them of her situation, they were more than happy to help her train and become a stronger fighter to ensure she would never lose.

The Red Lions were also constantly telling her how she should change to her true form already, to shed the human-like skin. However, she turned the offer down every time. Not only did she like the body she had been born in, she had had her whole life, she had experienced all her hardships with... she had really become attached to it. But in addition--

A massive shadow glid over the trio as they were out exploring their surroundings in the wild. Looking up quickly, they could see the enormous figure of an actual dragon. Hakuryuu and Morgiana had their jaws dropped, but Aladdin quickly understood what was going on.

“Hey, sister!” Aladdin greeted the dragon as he flew to her level. The dragon stopped her advance and turned to look at Aladdin, slowly descending to the ground. She seemed to be taken aback by something.

“How you resemble Solomon...” the dragon said thoughtfully. “Hello, if it isn’t... Aladdin?”

Aladdin smiled. “It’s me.”

“It is nice to see you and doing so well, but... Why have you and your friends made your way to this dimension?”

“To train, and to hide. This is the only place where Arba cannot track us down from.”

Mother Dragon hummed. “A lot of interesting people have turned up recently. I spent years on my own but recently I’ve had surprising company. It is the reason I am out here, in fact. I was coming back from delivering some humans to the other side.”

Surprised silence from the three as they turned to look at each other.

“What other humans could possibly be in here?” Morgiana asked.

“One chosen by the rukh and another, a soul detached from its human body.”

And there was no mistaking who fit this description. There was a limited number of magis, and Aladdin and Morgiana had taken Alibaba’s body to Yunan for safekeeping in the case that Alibaba’s soul somehow made its way back. And apparently, it had. Excitement filled all three, for different reasons.

“You mean Judar and Alibaba are not dead?” stunned Hakuryuu asked.

“That is what they called each other, yes. They asked me to carry them back to Solomon’s world two years ago.”

But in addition, the person Morgiana wanted to share her life with also had a human form, and he lived in the human world. The person she thought had died, though she still held onto the hope of seeing him again. The person she had decided to wait for. She ran her fingers across her necklace with warm thoughts. She had made up her mind.

Aladdin was also delighted, first in knowing that his best friend and chosen king was alive, in this plane of existence and apparently well enough to ask favours from dragons and travel across the Dark Continent. However, he was also relieved to know about Judar’s fate. He felt guilty for having, well, “killed” him earlier, even though it was pretty much necessary after Judar had essentially started summoning the Medium and wouldn’t listen to reason. He had to be stopped, but it’s not like Aladdin had wanted to kill anyone. The sorrowful expression on Hakuryuu’s face made him feel guiltier every time he saw it. Even when he knew that Hakuryuu had done the same to Alibaba.

So Hakuryuu felt similar relief over Alibaba. In the heat of battle he had felt no regret, but that didn’t last long. Quickly after his victory everything started falling apart and his feelings finally caught him, turning his rukh back to white. He felt guilty for having done that to Alibaba, and he felt guilty for having done that to Morgiana, as well. Morgiana had been very clear about her feelings all the way back from Hakuryuu’s initial confession, which felt like a mercy and a punishment at the same time. Still, Hakuryuu had decided to respect her feelings and freedom to choose for herself. He was glad to still have Aladdin and Morgiana’s friendship even after everything, and as soon as his rukh turned back, he had learned to value that friendship once again.

Speaking of white rukh, he wondered how Judar would feel about that once they met again. Hakuryuu didn’t regret falling into depravity, but neither did he regret going back. They both felt like necessary steps he had to take in order to grow as a person. Even still, being a fallen magi was an important part of Judar’s identity, and being the fallen magi and king vessel pair had been their thing. When Hakuryuu had initially agreed to accept Judar’s help, he had only intended to use the magi’s power. In all honesty, he couldn’t stand Judar, whom he saw as Gyokuen’s lapdog. Over the months of cooperation Hakuryuu had come to see things differently, the grave he built was a testament of that. And over the years of separation he had come to realize that he wanted to get to know Judar better not as a magi, but as a person. Talk about all kinds of things together and do anything he had stupidly passed on when he still had the chance.

Morgiana had been training with the fanalis and Hakuryuu with Takeruhiko, and now Aladdin also got a training partner in Mother Dragon. They wanted to communicate with Judar and Alibaba somehow, but that was practically impossible. Aladdin tried to reach out to Alibaba once through magic, but that line of communication had been nearly immediately hijacked by Arba. From what Mother Dragon had said, Alibaba had wanted to get back to his friends and Judar had wanted to get back to Hakuryuu, which eased their worries somewhat. A bit later, they were also able to see Alibaba on advertisements helping the Kou Empire.

After a couple of years of preparation, they were ready to return to the world to meet their friends and defeat their enemies, and as Arba was finally approaching to get them, they went to meet her where Yunan was already standing.

**Author's Note:**

> timeline and events during the timeskip are confusing af and i didn't quite realize it before trying to research for this one. my brain is frying.


End file.
